


rubatosis

by Renegadedaiz



Category: ARK: Survival Evolved
Genre: All aboard the Feels train, Gen, No one really likes Wes but he grows on you sorta, This is what happens when maps don't have explorer notes, Vex is moody, angst land ahoy!, faize is patience personified
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:21:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 13,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29021133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Renegadedaiz/pseuds/Renegadedaiz
Summary: rubatosis-noun; the unsettling awareness of your own heartbeat, whose tenuous muscular throbbing feels less like a metronome than a nervous ditty your heart is tapping to itself, the kind that people compulsively hum or sing while walking in complete darkness, as if to casually remind the outside world,I’m here,I’m here,I’m here...Explorer notes in Ark remind survivors of who came before. They were here, they existed - once.
Kudos: 1





	1. Log #001 - Location: Slasher Slopes

I don’t remember anything. I want to remember, but I can’t. It’s like, I see bits and pieces, but nothing makes sense. Faces that don’t have a name, places I should know but don’t.

It’s like solving a puzzle.

I was never one for puzzles.

Wes says he remembers everything, but he can’t tell Faize or me anything when we ask - brushes us off, says we wouldn’t understand because we’re not from his home.

But we would understand - we had homes, families, pets we left behind. We had whole lives that we can't remember. Why wouldn’t we understand loss like him? It’s a universal feeling, just expressed differently.

I know he's lying.

Faize remembers the sun and sand, but nothing else.

I close my eyes, try so hard.

All that comes back to me is the ocean and fire.

I wish I could remember something.


	2. Log #002 - SW3, Wilderness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A study on the person that is Faize.
> 
> Or - Faize hates water. He’s also very curious. Such a strange man.

Wes left the base this morning, hellbent on bringing home another pet besides Medusa.

A small part of me hopes he’s eaten. 

With him gone, it left me and Faize alone to do basic chores. Faize is a very strange, yet clever man. He said he remembers the sand, but freaked out on me when I dove into the waters for fish for later. I didn’t understand why, until he mentioned he didn’t know what an ocean or sea was. 

I can’t complain too much - he did show me a really neat new way to craft a new irrigation system. And between the two of us, we also figured out how to make a lumber mill of some sorts. It’s not the prettiest, but it works! Faize insisted we build a better home further up on land, away from the sea waves, fear evident on his face, so we started scouting out areas in our little alcove by the sea. 

Maybe tomorrow, I’ll teach him how to spear hunt fish so he won’t be so afraid. He taught me something new, so I’ll return the favor. 

But for the moment, I’ll let him enjoy our home while I work on defenses. 

He runs around, looking at flowers and trees and berries, asking me for names of everything he sees. I tell him names, like Tintoberry, Amarberry, Azulberry... He repeats each one to himself as he rotates the Berry around, mesmerized by its color. 

He kept looking at Medusa, like he was studying her carefully. Slowly he’d pet her tail, then back. Asking me what color green her body was, what would I call the colors of her frills. Medusa didn’t care for any of that nonsense. She just leaned into him, softly chuffing when he stopped petting her. 

He seems so excited to see colors, like it’s happening for the first time. 


	3. Log #003 - Upper Hidana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Faize is up to something. 
> 
> Vex knows when to leave it alone.

Faize doesn’t speak much. 

After we spent the early morning putting up spiked walls for defenses, I offered to teach him to spear hunt for fish, thinking that with a weapon in his hand, he wouldn’t fear the water so much. 

He quickly stammered out an apology as he refused and all I could do was shrug. Some people are not meant for the hunting role. Some have to come into the role on their own terms. I won’t push it.

“It’s fine,” I told him. “I’ll hunt while you work.”

He gave me a thankful look before darting into the building we’ve dubbed “Craft Shack” and shutting the door. Medusa decided to nose around, curious about what our friend was doing. She scratched at the door and made curious cooing noises, but Faize ignored her. 

I gave up trying to convince her to hunt with me. She’s stubborn, and I’m not stupid. She has a mouthful of teeth that could easily shred my flesh. I know when to leave it alone. 

The sun is high, which means it’s noon. The dodos should be waddling the shores without a care. 

Time for a hunt. 


	4. Log #004 - Raven’s Peak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wes returns. 
> 
> Words are exchanged.

Wes returned late tonight, a brand new tribemate with him. 

He tamed a Triceratops. Faize and I fortified defenses, built a small farm, built a new home, and Faize had crafted a forge while he was gone for ages and came back with an herbivore of all things. 

He seemed proud of himself. Medusa and I weren’t impressed. We didn’t need a trike, but Wes insisted we could use him for wood gathering. He’s named the green beast Tonka. 

My levels of annoyance grew even more when he took the hides from my earlier hunt and fashioned a saddle for the beast. I had saved those hides to make clothing for us. I was the one who had spent hours hunting and skinning dodos and Dilos, not him. 

Faize was a little apprehensive at the trike, but he carefully inspected our new member and gave Wes an approving nod. Wes glared angrily at him, and I felt myself tense, ready to give Medusa the attack command. 

Wes was quick to inform us that we were not allowed to ride Tonka. Faize shrugged and accepted it. I did not. 

“We are a tribe. We share animals. I allow both of you to take Medusa with you on local hunts. You should share Tonka. You did use my leather for the saddle.”

He laughed and patted my head, informed me that as tribe leader, he made the decisions and that Tonka was too valuable of a member for one of us to lose. 

I bit my tongue so hard that I bled, gathered my weapons, and left to hunt. 

Tribe leader? Hardly. If having a big dinosaur means I have value in this tribe, so be it.   
  


Wes should be prepared. 


	5. Log #005 - Reta Forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Queens take shit from no one. 
> 
> Or - the note in which Vex is dumb, underprepared, and almost dies.

I did it. 

I don’t know how I didn’t die, but I did it!

I now have a new tribe member, one that even Wes can’t patronize. And like me, she fears _NOTHING_. 

I had been hunting, gathering meat and hide, debating my next move to outdo Wes when I heard her roaring, felt the ground shake. At first, I panicked. It was almost nightfall. 

My eyesight would fail me in the dark. The beast had stronger senses, and the dense forest and vegetation wouldn’t help me much in the dark. 

And then I saw her - a massive Rex, yellow in color with flecks of magenta decorating the skin. A powder blue spine shone and I knew - I had to have her. Luckily, her attention was focused on an elk carcass, so I had some time to gather what I needed. 

The forest had everything I needed to fashion some spears, and I spent a few minutes crushing narcoberries and carefully coating the tips with the juice. Back home, I’d have used arrows. I’d have been better prepared. But this wasn’t home, so I had to make due with what I had. 

Rex are smart beasts, fearless in battle. I remember training them, and how quickly they’d pick up on what each whistle meant. But when their stomachs are full, they become dumb. The only thing on their minds at that point is a nap. And so I waited, watching carefully from my perch on a small rocky hill. 

She ate, snapping bones and rendering flesh like one would tear paper. Soon all that remained of the elk was the hooves and skull. Satisfied, she turned to move away from the mess, choosing to curl up and nap only a few feet away from what had once been an elk. 

I waited, praying to whatever Gods were listening that nothing would come, that she would fall into a deep sleep, that luck would be on my side. 

As the sun finally went down, I made my move. With a small prayer, I threw the first of my laced spears. It struck the mark, breaking her thick hide and piercing her flank. She didn’t move. 

I threw another two, and this time, she woke - letting an angry roar echo through the valley. I didn’t falter, grabbing another and letting it fly before hurriedly grabbing my things and moving to another rocky outlook higher up. As I scampered up the mountain, I could hear her massive footsteps behind me. She knew I was here. She knew where I was. 

I managed the reach the outlook and as soon as I looked down to find her, I was met with the angry face of one Rex. She lunged, and slid down the mountain. My prayer worked. She couldn’t climb the mountain, whether because of terrain or the narcotic laced spears lining her back and flank - I didn’t know, nor did I care. 

I continued to throw my spears, and she continued to try to reach me. 

On and on it went, until finally, as the sun crept over the horizon, she slowed, then giving a mighty roar before collapsing in a heap at the base of the outlook. 

I waited for a moment...was she down? Or was she trying to outsmart me? I threw the last of my spears. It landed deeply in her flank, and she didn’t move. 

I watched - she breathed slowly, a soft growl escaping each time. She was down. 

I needed meat. A quick scout later, I found an Ovis roaming around. An easy kill. I went to work gathering what I needed, and made my way back to where she slept. Carefully, I set an offering, laced with narcoberries beside her. A yellow eye met mine, and my heart almost stopped. 

But the mutton was more interesting than I was, and she sleepily snagged a chunk of meat, devouring it before I could move. I sighed a sigh of relief and gave her neck a small pat. 

“We’re going to be friends,” I gently told her, petting her neck and working on removing the spears. I’d pause every now and then to offer more mutton. The implant told me my new tribemate was a female Rex, age 22 years. Relatively young for a Rex. And such vivid colors. I’ll name her Doodle. 

I then noticed how quiet it was. No other beasts were in the clearing. The skies were quiet. Something was wrong. 

Soon, thunderous footsteps interrupted my thoughts. Was it another Rex? I didn’t have the resources to deal with that. And I couldn’t leave Doodle...

Before I could come up with a gameplan, the mysterious beast appeared. A large Carno, red and black in color, with a strange red glow, came stomping into view. 

Oh, oh no. Faded memories came back, and I knew it was an alpha Carno. I also knew I was, without a doubt, screwed. The implant told me that Doodle would still be down for an hour or so. Could I buy that much time? I had to try. 

So I grabbed stones, threw one. Hit it right in the snout. It gave an angry roar. I turned from Doodle and ran up the hill, back to my rocky outpost I had used to spear Doodle to submission. 

I had forgotten how fast Carnos were. I was halfway there when I felt the beast behind me. I dodged to the left, and its horn caught me in the ribs. The pain was excruciating, but I couldn’t stop. Blindly, I threw another rock, and I heard it roar in pain. I moved quicker. 

But I wasn’t quick enough. The beast caught me with its tail, and I went flying. My whole body hurt and I knew something was broken, maybe a rib. But I had to buy time. 

The Carno and I had reached the clearing where I had first met Doodle, and its tail strike had launched me to where the forest hills began to meet the lush green fields of the slopes. The beach was only a few hundred feet away. If I could lure it there, maybe I could use those rocks as some sort of cover. I got up, and my leg gave out. The pain shot through me. A large gash ran from my thigh to my calf, and I was bleeding heavily. My ribs ached. It hurt to breathe. 

The Carno saw me. It knew I was hurt. It walked slowly, as if to taunt me. Out of spite, I threw another stone. I could fight where I was. I wouldn’t die easily like others. 

The Carno reached me and out of stone, I drew back my fist. It roared and I watched in slow motion as its head lowered, saw those fangs glisten, smelt the death lurking in its breath. 

And then the Carno was thrown back. Doodle had woken up! I couldn’t move. All I could see was my Doodle, throwing this alpha Carno around like a rag doll. The Carno tried to charge her, and Doodle caught its head in her mouth. Without hesitation, she shook its head and body like a direwolf pup with a chew toy. Doodle must have gotten tired of her play toy because suddenly, I heard a loud snap, and then the Carno went still, aside from a few twitches in its tail and back leg. 

Doodle dropped the corpse and looked at me. The Carno was dead. I was alive. And I had a Queen of a Rex to thank for it. I wanted to cry. 

But I didn’t. I let her devour the Carno as a treat, but I kept its left arm as a trophy. 

Using leaves and wood, I bandaged and braced what I could, and we headed home. The trip was a lot easier with a giant Rex beside me. Nothing bothered us. 

Wes may have gotten Tonka, but I? I have tamed an Alpha Slayer, a Queen of Rex. 

And I survived. 


	6. Log #006 - Ivory Crag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Faize questions his value to the tribe.

Doodle and I made it back to base. Wes was gone again, and I didn’t even care. All I wanted at that point was a good rest in my own damn bed. But I had to do some explaining first.

Medusa worriedly sniffed my wounds, growled and frilled at Doodle as she did so. I gently tapped her snout, told her no. 

Dilo are more intelligent than survivors give them credit for. Or maybe it’s just my girl. I don’t know. I explained to her, and Faize, what had happened. How Doodle had saved the day. After that, Medusa seemed less weary of our new girl. 

Tonka was a different matter. Just like Wes, he had an air of superiority about him. He stomped his front feet and lowered his horns at Doodle, and I guess that was supposed to intimidate her? It didn’t work. Doodle gave a good stomp of her own, followed by a deadly roar, and Tonka took off to the other side of the base, shaking his head as he ran. 

Take that, you dumb herbivore! My Rex is fearless. 

Faize is a damn genius.   


He saw my wounds and gave me a worried look, asked questions. He looked at my leg, shook his head, and then disappeared into his little craft shack. When he came back out, he had this paste he said was a medical brew. I cleaned my leg wound, and he carefully applied the smelly junk. Then we rewrapped it in hide bandages. Within minutes, I could feel my pain dampen. 

Faize shook his head and warned me that it would be painful as the healing went on. I’d feel the flesh mend itself and it would more than likely feel like fire. I didn’t care. My leg would be fixed, and I could hunt again. 

I took the rest of the day easy. The troughs were full of meat, I had spears made, so all I could do was sit. I decided to make more bandages and work on clothes. 

Faize kept me company, asking me questions as I worked. 

How did I tame Medusa and Doodle? Narcoberries were the black ones, right? 

I explained to him that tranquilizing arrows were the best option. I told him everything I knew. He went quiet, but I could tell something was on his mind. 

“Is there a problem?”

He shrugged. “You’ve tamed. Wes has tamed. I feel like I’ve not done anything, like I’m useless to the tribe.”

If I had a heart, it would have broken right there. My friend had a level of sadness in his voice that I hadn’t felt since I woke up here, alone. 

I reassured Faize that he contributed, that not everyone is meant for the Hunter role. That we valued him anyway. But he didn’t say anything else for the rest of the night. 

When I woke up, he was gone. 


	7. Log #007 - Vegurs Chasm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Faize does a thing.

Faize has been gone since last night.

This worries me. He didn’t take Medusa, either. Since he joined us, after that first day, Medusa has been by his side for everything. She’d join me for hunts, but if we were working around base, she stayed by Faize. He seemed to enjoy her company. 

The fact that she doesn’t know where he’s at either worries me. 

My leg feels like it’s on fire. I can walk on it somewhat, but every step is agonizing. Not as bad as the day it happened, though. I cleaned it and applied more of that paste, and I’m happy to see that it’s no longer a gaping gash to the bone. I can see my muscles forming back together. It hurts like hell, and the wound is still deep, but it’s closing. And there’s no infection so far. Faize, you’re a mad genius. 

There’s dodos roaming the shore line, and I send Medusa off for a quick meat run. She brings back several dodos and I make quick work of skinning the birds and harvesting meat. I make sure her and Doodle have plenty of meat in their trough. Wes’ Tonka has his own trough, and I make sure to fill it with Mejos. The trike gives an indignant huff as I work. I guess he’s still mad over Doodle’s arrival yesterday. 

Animals are fed, so I throw meat on the fire for us. Wes is still gone. Implant says both of my tribe mates are alive. I busy myself with other chores - checking out defenses, making sure the crops are irrigated, supplies are well stocked. 

The sun starts to set, and I’m alone with my thoughts. 

Doodle and Medusa have invented a game of tag, sort of. Doodle chases Medusa, who playfully nips at her tail and runs away. A gentle headbutt from Doodle deems Medusa “it” and it’s funny to watch a grown Rex try to outrun a hyper dilo.Tonka watches them, and I wonder if maybe he’s feeling lonely. 

A swooping noise catches my ears. Too heavy to be a pteradon. I listen carefully, and I hear it grow closer. Heavy swooping, but slow. 

A large shadow flies over, and I ready myself to give Doodle and Medusa the kill command. I stop when I hear Faize’s voice. 

“No, no, no. Stop. Not there! No! Here! Yes! That’s good! Perfect!”

The shadow grows larger as I see an Argentavis land near our home. Faize hops off of the bird’s back, and the bird chirps and begins to preen itself. 

The body is a plain dark brown, but the wings are gorgeous. They’re magenta, with cyan tips. The puff of feathers at the head is white. His feet are cyan. He’s a gorgeous Argentavis. 

“Faize! He’s stunning!”

Faize seems pleased. He tells me the Argy’s name is Dazzler, and that he tamed him all by himself near Hidana. Then he takes me for a flight. 

It was weird, not going to lie. I was dangling from Daz’s left claw as Faize flew us up and around base. I prayed he wouldn’t drop me. But Daz was strong and steady, and after a few minutes, I grew comfortable in his claws. 

A short time later, we were back at base. I made sure Daz knew where his trough was, and that he had meat, and then checked Faize. Other than a few scratches and bruises, he was fine. 

“You did amazing!” I tell him. And I mean it. With Daz, we have access to aerial travel now. 

Faize beams, and I don’t sense that sadness in him that was there before.

I’m proud. 


	8. Log #008 - The Sacred Bluff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wes is back. Faize leaves. Vex is healing. 
> 
> Dumb decisions are made.

Wes has returned, and he has a Pteradon to show for his week long absence. 

He’s named the poor thing Bird, but has no saddle for it. Faize and I make sure to show him Doodle and Daz, rub in the fact that we tamed better beasts. 

He scoffs at Faize, asks him if he really tamed it himself. Before he could even defend himself, Daz grew angry and attempted to bite him. Wes rolled his eyes and tried to ride Daz. It took him five tries to get on and stay in the saddle, but the clever bird refused to listen to his commands when he was finally seated. Daz threw him off one last time and he lost interest in trying to fly him.

He tried to order Doodle to attack a dodo, and she responded with her foot stomp and covering him in a pile of Rex dung. 

I shouldn’t have laughed. I really shouldn’t have. It hurt my ribs but it was worth it. He’s put Bird near Tonka and built himself a small shack by his tames on the opposite side of the base. Faize and I ignored him. He can learn to play nice with the tribe or he can leave. 

Faize and I spent a good bit of the day crafting a saddle for Doodle. He said that he noticed some Argies near the opening to the valley near base, and I wouldn’t mind getting a bird of my own. Doodle can come for back up if things go south. 

My leg wound has almost healed. The agonizing fire filled pain I experienced this past week has died down, and now it’s a minor throb with each step. I think I’ll be ready to ride Doodle by tomorrow, if not the next day. 

I tell her this, and she seems interested in the idea. She sniffed the saddle and gives me a questioning look. I show her my leg and tell her it’ll be fine, but she shakes her head as if to disagree. 

If not tomorrow or the next, then the day after that. We compromise and she gently headbutts me with her massive snout. I give her scratches on the forehead and neck, and her tail wags. 

Rex really are sweethearts once you tame them. 

Faize calls me to the shoreline and I’m surprised to see he has crafted a massive raft. He’s terrified of the water, but there’s some islands he had seen during his flights with Daz. Says it reminds him of his home and he’d like to visit. 

I smile and offer to help him stock up his boat with supplies. We spend the rest of the evening doing that, and Faize offers to take me with him. I decline. I have a saddle to make for the Argy. By the end of this week, I plan on being airborne. 

Faize leaves late that night. The islands were a straight shot from home, and he took Daz with him to give him an aerial view of things. He made me promise to not go Argy hunting til he’s back to help me, which I did. 

Wes stays in his cabin, coming out to feed the tames and then rushing back in and slamming his door. 

I ignore him and focus on the sea. A large fin appears in the distance, catching my eye. 

I think I know my plans for tomorrow. 


	9. Log #009 - Zelus Reef

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one in which Vex makes bad decisions and Medusa is a badass. 
> 
> Or - why it’s important to keep an eye on your oxygen levels and your surroundings while taming.

I’ve done many things deemed strange since I woke up. I have a mental implant in my arm that tells me things I don’t know. I don’t speak the same language that Wes and Faize do, but I understand them all the same. I tame dinosaurs, things that should be dead...and then I treat them as pets. 

But none of that surpasses hacking my own corpse to bits. 

Well, what was left of it. 

The day started off normal enough. The massive fin I had seen when Faize left was still lurking around. It belonged to a Megalodon, and I knew what I wanted to do that day. 

In the daylight, I could see the shark was a dark blue, with a pale pink belly and yellow markings. Gorgeous beast. And soon, it would be mine. 

I gathered my tranquilizing arrows, and a crossbow I had found during a hunt. Meat was something I could gather after I knocked the beast out, so I packed lightly and dove in. 

The water was cold, but not unpleasant. Underneath the waves, I could see coral reefs, sea grass, rocks...and the meg. It was lazily swimming in circles, so I took aim and fired. 

My arrow found its mark and the shark stopped, shaking its head as it looked around for the enemy. I fired another shot and it swam toward me. It was faster than I thought, and I barely had time to move out of the way as it came barreling toward me, 100,000 pounds of rage and murder. I fired another shot, desperate to get back to shallow waters but the shark blocked my efforts. I was either going to drown or be eaten. I fired another shot, and the shark turned, headed right for me. Its mouth was open, and I fired one more arrow, landing right in the back of its throat. 

The shark stopped, sank a little. A look at its eyes told me the tranqs worked. But it didn’t matter, I found myself screaming for air as my lungs burned. I fought to reach the surface, but I couldn’t. I was so tired...my eyes closed, and I felt myself sink. 

I woke up, sun beating down. I was confused, didn’t I die? Is this heaven? Hell? A look around told me I was at base. There was Doodle, giving me a confused look. Medusa nudged me with her snout. I was alive. But naked. Back to my underwear I had when I first woke up. 

A glowing green light shone from the sea, and I wondered if the shark was still there. Whistling for Medusa to follow, I wadded out to sea. When the water was deep enough, I whistled for Medusa to stay and I dove in. There was the shark, still out cold. 

And a little below that, was my own body. I wanted to freak out. But I had things to do. The shark was down. I needed meat. So I looted my stuff from my own corpse, then using my pickaxe, harvested meat. 

I wanted to gag, but I didn’t. I held back, worked fast. I remembered to surface for air every little bit, and then I dove back to offer meat to the shark. I kept busy, diving to feed, surfacing to sit with Medusa and breathe. Soon, I was met by a sharky grin as my new tame surfaced. The Implant tells me it’s a male, 130 years. I named him Poseidon. 

I was exhausted. But I was shocked. That was my body...I fed myself to a shark. But I died. How did I come back?

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t hear the footsteps. I felt myself being pinned to the ground before I could move. The raptor’s sickle claw was inches from my face, and I had blood trickling from a cut to my forehead. Damnit...

Poseidon can’t reach me. He was trying but he couldn’t make it through the shallows. I was going to die again...

And then something tackled the raptor and I feel the weight leave. Medusa, tiny but fierce Medusa, had attacked the raptor. She spit her poison with accuracy, and the raptor had paused, trying to shake it off. She went in for the kill, darting in and out, biting at legs and pushing the raptor back towards the sea. Clever girl! She was driving it back to Poseidon!

I whistled to Medusa to attack again, and she charged, launched herself high as she spit poison in the raptor’s face and then gave it a headbutt to the chest. The raptor tumbled, the shallow sea shelf giving away to the depths. Poseidon lunged and the raptor was suddenly gone. 

I watched the surface as I shakily held onto Medusa. The bubbles stopped and the water turned red, then Poseidon’s fin appeared, lazily swimming circles. The danger had passed. I whistled both to follow and I rushed home. I didn’t allow myself to cry until I was back behind the security of our base’s stone walls. Poseidon lingered in the depths by the islet. Medusa curled around me protectively as I sobbed. Doodle stood nearby, ready to defend. 

I’m never going back in the damn ocean.


	10. Log #010 - Olga’s Beach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vex is left alone with her thoughts.

Faize is still gone. Wes managed to saddle Bird, so he took off. Once again, I’m left alone at base. 

It’s fine. After the adventure taming Poseidon, I’d rather be alone right now. I can’t sleep without seeing my face staring back at me. My nights haven’t been easy, even with Medusa there to comfort me with soft nudges and coos. 

I close my eyes - I see my dead face looking at me, peaceful and serene. It wasn’t like that. I remember the burning suffocation and panic. But what bothers me most is the unknown reason as to why I’m here now. I woke up on the beach at base. It was like nothing had happened. 

The implant glows, and I scratch at it without thinking. I’m in no mood for it now. I have to feed the animals. 

I send Medusa and Doodle off to hunt their own dodos, not bothering with troughs today. They rumble off and I watch for a moment before turning back to my main issue for the day. Poseidon. He swims lazily in circles by the islet. I can’t fault him for the incident; it was my own stupidity that caused me to drown. But I fed him my own flesh. He tamed because of me - literally. Does he have a taste for that now?

I step into the water carefully and whistle. He comes in just as close as the waters will allow, and I reach out to pet his side. His skin is rough, covered in scars. He makes no effort to bite me, but leans into my touch. I guess he doesn’t have a taste for human flesh now. 

I get to work building him a trough and throw meat in it. He watches me with curiosity, and I toss a few pieces into the water for him. Maybe I could build a dock of some sort. But that would require diving and being underwater for a bit and I’m not that eager to die again. 

But Poseidon will need a pen of his own at some point. There are things lurking in the sea that even he can’t handle. I’ll have to dive and build a decent gate for him at some point. 

He nudges me, like he wants me to swim with him. I tap his snout, tell him no. He eventually gets tired of waiting and takes back off to the depths and I watch him go, a giant sea puppy. Eventually, I’ll have to overcome this fear. It’s not fair to him that I won’t swim with him, but he watches me take Medusa and Doodle out. But for now, I’m staying on land. If I can’t see the bottom of the water, I’m not going in it. 

Poseidon can just learn patience. 


	11. Log #011 - Viking Bay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vex learns to ride Doodle. 
> 
> Or because we can’t conquer our fears, we focus on other things as a distraction. Oops.

Riding a Rex is an experience. 

I promised Faize I wouldn’t hunt Argentavis without him. But I plan on taking Doodle with us and she and I both need to be used to riding. So I thought I’d spend today getting her used to the saddle, and getting myself used to riding. 

Putting it on her was a long process, but she was patient and lifted her feet when I told her to, lowered her head down to the ground so I could fasten things easily. I rewarded her with pieces of prime jerky every time she perfectly followed a command. Once she was saddled, it was a task to get mounted. 

She lowered herself as low as she could, and I used a nearby rock to climb on top of, then climb into the saddle. So far, so good. My leg still throbbed slightly, but the wound was closed and the healing scar wouldn’t be too much of an issue, I thought. I strapped myself in, grabbed the reins, and gave a forward command. She took two steps, and paused, turning her head back to see if she had done it correctly. I reach forward and scratch her neck, sunshine yellow scales glistening under my fingers. 

“Good girl, Doodle!”

Her tag wags and she walks forward again. We head out of the base’s gateway, and suddenly, we were free to roam. The world was our oyster, ready to claim! Her steps were thunderous, and tiny animals like dodos and compy fled as we approached. The world looked so different from Doodle’s back. 

I didn’t keep her out long, deciding to keep saddle training short for the day. My leg was throbbing and I was hungry, so I pulled back the reins and ordered us home. Doodle made the trip in record time. 

As we entered base, I saw a sail in the distance. Faize was coming home. And it looked like he brought friends. 


	12. Log #012 - Jinx Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Faize is back. With some new friends. 
> 
> Vex is weird.

Faize returned with some new friends. 

Well, some is an understatement. More like a few dozen. They’re strange creatures - cute, but strange. 

He calls them Jerboa. They’re a strange mixed creature, reminding me of a fox with kangaroo legs. The tail is long and bushy. He seems excited. 

Apparently, he knows these creatures well. They were his specialty back at his home, with his tribe. He says they can predict weather and then gives me a worried look. 

He asks if it’s okay for him to have them. I laugh as I offer a handful of mejos to the little pink and white one sitting on my shoulder. 

“You can bring your friends here. With the way storms roll in, we’ll make good use of them.”

He seems relieved, and he and Daz spend the next hour or so getting all of them sorted. I give Daz a good chin scratch for doing a good job at keeping Faize alive, and then tell him about my two weeks alone. I skip the dying part. I’m not quite sure how to explain that. 

He pauses at the mention of Poseidon. 

“You...tamed a shark by yourself?”

I nod, not wanting to talk about the details. 

He frowns, but doesn’t press the issue. I give the jerboa on my shoulder another mejoberry. 

“Faize, have you ever died here?”

He stops, gives me a weird look. He doesn’t answer me for a moment, but then shakes his head. 

“You said it yourself - we’re not dead. Why?”

I decide to save it for another time. “No real reason. Doodle’s saddle works great! You want to give her a ride?”

We spent the rest of the afternoon taking Doodle out for saddle tests and meat runs to replenish our supplies. 

I didn’t mention dying again. I don’t think he’d understand. 


	13. Log #013 - Pelagornis Bay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Vex discovers Faize has a strange talent...
> 
> Or - sometimes people have their secrets and one should know when to leave things be.

I thought I was the strange one, but Faize has officially won the title.

He speaks with Jerboa. And apparently, they speak back. 

I know, I know - I speak to Poseidon, Doodle, and Medusa. They chirp, roar, grunt, groan in response. But this is different. Faize squeaks to them, or speaks to them using words, and the damn things squeak back!

I watched from my hiding spot as they chatted for a bit. Faize would simply carry on with his projects while the jerboa chirped. Occasionally, he chirped back a response, and they’d chatter back and hand him a piece of stone, hide or fiber... 

I wonder - what do they say?

I would ask, but it’s Faize’s secret to share. I haven’t seen anything. When he wants to tell me, he can tell me. In the meantime, I think it’s best I prepare for tomorrow. There’s an Argentavis I have my eye on, and now that Faize is home, I can finally get my own. 


	14. Log #014 - Causeway of the Ancients

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teamwork makes the dream work.

I did it! I did it!

It was a long day, but thanks to Doodle, Faize, and Daz, I finally have my own argy!

The day started out as a bummer.The pretty Argentavis I had my eye on hadn’t gone down easily. Mid-tame, we were distracted by a pack of Allo. Doodle, Daz, and I made quick work of two of them but before I could attack the third, it had killed my Argentavis. I flew into a rage and the massacre that followed was terrifying. Doodle and I left nothing behind of the Allosaurus. Faize and Daz went airborne, scouting for anything ahead. I had given up all hope of getting an argent of my own when I saw red out of the corner of my eye. 

Turning Doodle to the east, I scouted the land. There! I saw it again! A solid red Argent was walking around, all alone. Perfect. 

I gave Doodle the stay whistle and dismounted. With a quick whistle to be passive, I loaded my crossbow and snuck closer. 

It was solid red, save the feet. Those were black. It was a beautiful argent, and if things went well, it was mine. I fired an arrow. The bird squawked, flapped its wings twice, and rose in the air. I fired off another shot. It flew low toward me, circling and angrily clawing at me. I ran backwards in an opposite circle, firing shot after shot. 

I saw Daz and Faize land, and soon, Faize joined in. Between the two of us, the bird finally fell and I let out a cheer as I prepared meat as an offering. 

Daz and Faize took to the air to keep an eye out for any Allo or Raptors while I stayed with the bird. The implant said male, age 175. Taming almost complete. 

I stroked his plume and offered more meat as the narcotics wore off. At least he stood, flapping his wings and gave me quizzical look. 

Krueger, I decided, as I whistled for Doodle to come closer. I pulled the Argent saddle out of her saddlebags and hurriedly strapped it onto my new friend. 

Climbing back onto Doodle, I whistled for Krueger to follow. Daz and Faize saw me and flew in low. 

I gave the signal for home and Faize nodded, leading the way. 

Tomorrow, I was learning how to fly. 


	15. Log #015 - Titan’s Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vex discovers flight. A strange observation on tames is made.

Argentavis are incredibly smart. 

I don’t know if it was because Krueger was eager to please or if he had watched and learned from Faize and Daz, but he took to my commands much easier than Doodle or Medusa had. 

We started our test flights by base, keeping them short as we both adjusted to the saddle. Faize and Daz watched nearby, and when we were deemed knowledgeable, they let us go off unsupervised. It was exhilarating. I thought the world looked different from Doodle’s back, but Krueger took that to new heights - no pun intended. We took to the skies and stayed gone most of the day, only returning once the sun decided to set. 

Krueger and Daz seem to be getting along well. They preen each other and fuss about, almost like brothers. Daz seems to have gotten more used to me as well. Once he deemed that Faize considered me no threat, he was more than happy to let me sit on his saddle as Faize inspected Krueger’s to see if it needed repairs. 

Funny thing I’ve noticed about tames - they’ll protect the tribe, but they seem to respond best to those who initially tamed them. Other than Medusa. That strange little dilo has officially settled on Faize being her person. Maybe it’s where he was so afraid of her at first, she’s more than determined to get him to like her. 

Or she’s doing it for spite. I never can tell with her. 

She seems a little weary of Krueger, but he pays her no mind. I’ve even caught him offering her bits of his dinner as a peace offering. 

Tonka still ignores us, waiting patiently for Wes to return. He’s been gone several weeks now. Tomorrow, if he hasn’t returned,Faize and I will go look for him. He may not be dead, but he could be hurt or in trouble. 

Or maybe he’s found a way back to his home, that strange island in the sky. With this place, who really knows?


	16. Log #019 - Volcano Beach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wes has been found. 
> 
> But then there’s another problem. 
> 
> Or - why it’s important to always tell your tribemates where you’re going.

It turns out we didn’t have to look far for Wes. 

We found him not far from base, near a white stone arch, a bloody heap and unconscious. Poor Bird was nearby, a tangled mess of flesh and bone. 

Faize and I wasted no time. We managed to make a sling stretcher of hide, and carefully coordinating flight between Krueger and Daz, carried him home. 

Tonka let out a concerned grunt when we landed, but we ignored the big green beast long enough to get Wes inside of our larger home. Once we managed to get him situated, Faize disappeared into his craft shack for medical brews, and I started grabbing bandages and supplies. Before long, the two of us had him looking a lot less bloody and more human again. The wounds were bad - gashes and lacerations to his arms, chest, legs. A foot was cut so badly, it looked nearly severed, but using some clever quick thinking, Faize managed to stitch what he could back together. With the medical brew, he should regain the use of his limbs - or so Faize says. After my experience with it, I don’t doubt his claim. Faize gave him narcotics to keep him asleep through the worst of the healing process, and I headed outside to check on the animals and to process my thoughts. 

Tonka was chuffing and stomping, so I made sure to give him a few extra mejos and some chin scratches. He was worried about Wes, and I understood his frustration. What could have happened to him and Bird? Did a flight go wrong? Did something attack them? What would be able to attack them in the sky? An Argentavis wouldn’t have been fast enough. 

Faize apparently had the same thought. He was saddling Daz as I made my way back to our larger building. 

“I think I know what happened, but I need to confirm. I’m going to take a look at Bird again.”

He wouldn’t let me go, instead telling me to watch Wes and keep him sedated. 

So here I sit, watching a dying man recover and wondering where my only human friend could be. 

And what, exactly, we were up against. 


	17. Log #017 - Freyja Plains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Faize is doing mad jerboa genius things. 
> 
> Wes sleeps. 
> 
> Vex thinks. 
> 
> Or - communication is important. Secrets don’t make friends.

Faize returned a short time later, but didn’t give me any answers.He popped inside our home long enough to check on Wes and to see if we needed any more medical brew, then disappeared into his craft shack. I heard nothing, even the jerboa were quiet. Medusa stood by the door, quizzical head tilts her only response. 

Daz offered no explanation, only cocking his head when I asked him questions. Either he was in the dark like I was, or he was being ridiculously loyal to Faize and giving nothing away. 

Krueger cawed and it made me uneasy. I took Doodle out for a hunt, deciding to focus on busy work so I didn’t dwell. Faize would tell in due time if it was something important. That much, I knew. 

I returned and filled the troughs, gave Tonka extra mejos and scratches. I headed back inside. Wes continued to sleep, no answers to give. Faize stayed in his craft shack, doing whatever it is mad jerboa geniuses do. 

Annoyed and feeling useless, I decided to go to sleep.Maybe answers would come in the morning. 


	18. Log #018 - Donovan’s Bridge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Faize makes a slip of the tongue. There’s new jerboa. 
> 
> Vex has big dreams, but at what price?

The sleep didn’t do me any good. I tossed and turned, mind heavy. I kept seeing Wes’ bloody, broken form. 

I decided to get up and get dressed for the day, even though the sun wasn’t quite up. A glance out my window tells me Faize is still busy in his craft shack. If he snuck in to check on Wes, he never made a sound. 

The animals seemed calmer, but Tonka still paced around with unease. Maybe it’s the loss of Bird that’s upsetting him. I whistle for Krueger to follow and have him land next to the trike. Maybe if he has some company, it’ll settle his nerves until Wes recovers. Then Wes can calm him down better. I gave Krueger a loving pat on the neck and head out to check on Poseidon. 

The shark still swims lazily in his usual lurking spot, and I throw him some of the Dodo carcasses from last night. He snags one and disappears underwater, and I debate my earlier decision about a dock. We have a raft. We have a sea tame. We could use a dock. Perhaps it could be something to work on while Wes recovers. 

But it would also mean getting back in the water. And despite everything, I don’t think I’m ready for that. 

I decided to pick at Faize’s brain. I don’t enter the Craft Shack. It’s his area, but today is the exception. I knock quietly and enter anyway, not waiting for the okay. Medusa sleepily raises her head, sees it’s only me, and tucks her nose back into her tail, ignoring me entirely. 

The jerboa are sleeping, scattered all around the shack in mismatched puddles. A few of them are small - were they new? I find Faize lost in thought, absentmindedly throwing metal and sparkpowder into the forge. He’s crafting something. 

“Faize? You alright?”

I guess I startled him because he jumped and nearly burned himself on a loose coal.

“Ahh, apologies. I didn’t hear you.”

He’s fidgety, avoiding my eyes. Someone was hiding something, it seemed. 

“I didn’t make much noise, so I’m not surprised. What are you working on?”

He shuffled in front of the forge. “It’s nothing, just armor and weapons for our stockpile.”

I let out a soft hum, letting it go for now. 

“I see there’s a few jerboa here I don’t recognize. New ones?”

At the mention of jerboa, he gets excited. For the next hour, he dragged me to each new member, telling me who was who, who had bred and produced this one and that one. How does one man keep track of so many small things?

I let him gush about his pets for a bit before I finally brought focus back to my initial reason for coming here. 

“Faize, what happened yesterday? Did you find anything out?”

He paled. 

“Well, not exactly. But the attack reminded me of something I vaguely remembered from home. We had flying beasts there, lizards spitting lightning, poison, or fire.”

I frowned. Suddenly, memories came back of a large fire breathing beast. My Rexes stood proudly, roared back confidently...

And then it was gone. 

I shook my head in disbelief. 

“Are you saying there’s a dragon?”

He shrugged. 

“Yes, er, well not exactly? My people called them Wyverns. Totally different things from dragons. They have two legs, two winged forearms where dragons have -“

I held up a hand to stop him. 

“Faize. You’re getting off topic. Why do you think there’s a Wyvern?”

“Oh. Because I’ve seen them. Not here. But home. And I’ve dealt with several tribe members who were shot from the sky. They smelled like that.”

“Smelled?”

“Uh, I mean looked. They looked like that. It’s been a long night, and I’m getting my words jumbled.”

I nodded, raising my eyebrow. “Are you going to sleep in here or in the hut with Wes?”

“After this metal finishes refining, I’ll nap in here. Do you need anything else for Wes? Narcotics? Medical brew?”

After restocking on supplies, I left him alone and went back in to check on Wes. He was still sleeping, so I medicated him again and worked on changing bandages. 

Something Faize said didn’t sit well with me. Smelled? What did he mean by that?

I wasn’t afraid of the idea of Wyverns. I could work on that. Or tame one. 

My mind wandered as I worked. A wyvern army sounded nice. 

Maybe that would be a future project. 


	19. Log #019 - War Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vex comes to a realization. 
> 
> Sometimes, you have to be the better person.

Wes woke up a few days later, groggy but alive. His wounds were closing slowly, and I cheered when I saw he was able to move his toes. Faize’s ingenious stitches saved the day.

Wes wasn’t in the mood to talk, and we didn’t push him. We made sure he ate and drank, and I managed to convince Tonka to move closer to the window so he could see Wes was okay. The big brute settled down after that. He was much calmer during feeding and even bumped me with his snout when I gave him his normal extra mejos. 

Faize stayed cooped up in his craft shack, and I decided to take Krueger out for a flight. We flew high, and I took in the surroundings. A green obelisk caught my eye, so Krueger and I pushed forward. The flight took only minutes, and as we approached, I saw nothing but flatness. Landing Krueger carefully on a double peaked mountain, I surveyed. 

This was it, I felt it in my soul. This was where we needed to be. There was so much space for tames and buildings. We could build here. We could make this home. 

A small creek ran through the area, circling the giant obelisk hidden in the Redwoods. We had access to fresh water. There were endless sources of supplies. We had the birds for travel and restock purposes. Doodle could hunt without problems here. 

My mind went back to Wes. He didn’t have a bird. And it would seem cruel to remind him of that by flaunting Krueger and Dazzler around in front of him. 

A small part of me wants to, though. He was condescending to us. He was a lone wolf and look where it got him. 

But the other part of me realizes that Wes was just like me and Faize - he came from a different world where things probably ran differently. There were different things to tame and fight. Tribe rules differed, probably. 

But we weren’t in our homes anymore. We were here. And this was a new home. And in the grand scheme of things, we were all we had - aside from Doodle, Tonka, Medusa, Poseidon, Krueger, and Daz. We were all a family, whether we wanted to be or not. 

Things had to change. 

I turned Krueger towards home and took off. I had a plan, and if I was lucky, things would be okay. 


	20. Log #020 - Titan’s Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vex convinces Faize to help. 
> 
> Sort of.

Wes still wasn’t feeling like talking, but he was able to feed himself now and didn’t require as much narcotics as he did before. Faize was still tedious about the medical brew applications though, and every three hours, he was there to apply the salve as I washed wounds and wrapped. Wes never said a word and avoided eye contact with us. 

I think the thing most injured was his pride. 

I let him be, but Faize continued to talk as if nothing happened - filled him in on things we had done. I mentioned the area I surveyed, and both of them gave me a weird look. I mentioned it was large and we could expand. The cove wouldn’t keep us safe forever. 

And to be truthful, I wanted a larger area for more Rex. Doodle and Medusa played nicely, but Doodle needed more of her own kind. Rex are solitary beasts, but in a tribe, they thrive with companions. They train together and play together without worrying about injury to others. 

I wanted Doodle to have a friend of her own, someone who could understand her. If I couldn’t have that, at least my Rex could. 

But I didn’t share that with them. Either they could build home with me, or I’d build it myself. The only issue I had would be leaving Poseidon behind. I couldn’t carry a shark to Hidana. I had no place for him. And he was a creature of the sea as much as I was a creature of the land. We didn’t belong in the other’s world. I might be able to survive in his for a small period of time, but he wouldn’t last two minutes in mine. 

I would have to solve that issue later though. Right now, I had other matters. When Faize finished with Wes, and the poor man had drifted back into a painless sleep, I pulled him outside. 

“I have an idea,” I whispered, not wanting Wes to hear. Faize raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. 

“Can you make another Argentavis saddle?”

He put his hand on his chin, processing my request. 

“I believe so, yes. Why? Is Krueger’s broken? It’s easier to repair than craft a new one.”

“No. Wes lost Bird. I want to get him an Argentavis of his own. It won’t ease his loss, but it may make him feel like we’re here for him and want to help him.”

Faize frowned. “Yes, we could, but he’d probably get it killed again...”

“Maybe, but maybe not. It was an accident. Wes wouldn’t get a tame killed on purpose. It might help him open up. What do you say? Will you help me?”

He sighed in defeat. 

“Alright, but let’s be quick though. If we’re late with salve, it’ll slow his healing and then he’ll hate us again.”

I laughed and headed to get my gear. This was going to work. I could feel it. 


	21. Log #021 - The Dark Waters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vex ponders. Krueger is sassy.

Between the two of us, it didn’t take long to bring down an Argentavis. 

Krueger cawed angrily when the beast tamed, and I had to reassure him multiple times that he wasn’t being replaced. I flew back on Krueger, but I could tell he was a little annoyed with me. He was slow to respond to commands and wouldn’t look at me when we got home. 

I didn’t name the new bird. He’s white and smoke colored, with a red tuft of feathers and orange feet. Male, age 108 according to what my implant said. I think Wes will like him. 

We got him settled in with Daz and Krueger, and I have to once again explain to my Argy that he’s not being replaced. Daz tried to groom the new boy and was immediately met with a huffy snap of a beak as the new bird struts off and begins to preen himself. 

Oh, he’s definitely the bird for Wes. 

Faize darted off to apply salve, and I reminded him to not say anything to Wes yet. When he’s able to move around safely, we’ll saddle the new boy and introduce him. Faize agreed and went off to doctor his reluctant patient. 

Meanwhile, I decided to take Doodle out for a meat run. I let her out of the gate and head up to the plains. She attacked a herd of stegos on command and I worked fast to field butcher what I could, then carefully strapped the meat to her saddle. As an afterthought, I attached one of the bodies I hadn’t managed to butcher to a rope and had her drag it home. Poseidon was getting a feast tonight. He had earned it. I still hadn’t swam with him, and I had no desire to. But he still deserved something. Hopefully, he liked stego. 

The trip back was uneventful. Even with fresh meat on her, nothing was dumb enough to attack. I didn’t even have to lead the way. Doodle knew the routine by now. I let her lead and I followed, making sure Poseidon’s treat stayed relatively in one piece. 

When we reached the gates, I let us in and Doodle went straight to where Poseidon lurked. She waited until I undid the ropes and then with way too much ease, she grabbed the carcass and flung it to the sea. Before it could reach the surface, Poseidon lunged and dragged it down below. Doodle headed back to the center of base for me to unload, and I watched in amazement. I hadn’t taught her that. Had she picked it up by watching me throw things to Poseidon?

Curious. Very curious indeed. I’ve never seen Rex behave like that. But then again, I’ve never had a Rex like Doodle. 

I fed the animals, then started on food for us.As the steaks cooked, I debated on the Poseidon problem. 

I could release him. 

But that would mean I essentially died for nothing. 

So the only other option is to build a better pen for him when we move. The other beach would work for that. Getting the big boy to the new pen may be an issue though. Megalodons will attack anything, including other megs. I could follow from the air, but shooting underwater works best if I’m already under. Firing into water messes with trajectory when the arrow hits the surface. 

And then there’s the issue of actually being underwater again. 

I frowned and flipped the steaks. 

Maybe tomorrow I could scout out a safer place for Poseidon. But for now, he’d remain in the bay. He was fine. 

Wasn’t he?


	22. Log #022 - The Deathsands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vex feels like a failure. 
> 
> Wes steps up.

Poseidon is gone. 

I don’t know where he went. There was no blood. No noise. Nothing out of the ordinary. The other animals didn’t raise a fuss at all during the night. So did he wander off or did something attack him?

How the hell does a 60ft, 100,000 pound shark disappear?

Faize was the first to notice he was gone. We had divided the animals for feeding. I focused on the herbivores today and he took the carnivores. As he went to throw homemade chum to Poseidon, the shark failed to appear. 

Poseidon always comes for food. It’s the surest way to get him to respond to any command. He wasn’t very familiar with Faize, but he knew him well enough to know he was friend, not food. 

Even Wes helped look, diving into the water without question (ignoring Faize’s exasperated protests about his wounds) and swimming around looking. He came back with no news. There wasn’t even any other megs in the waters, he said. It was like something scared them off. 

I hopped on Faize’s raft and sailed up and down the coast, whistling frantically and calling for my big sea dog. But to no avail. 

Poseidon is gone. 

And I feel like I failed a friend. 


	23. Log #023 - Kamaka Cave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of reconciliation, loss, and bonds. 
> 
> Or - people change, and that’s okay.

Wes hasn’t said much to either of us, or at least me. We still haven’t told him about the Argentavis we tamed for him. He’s been slowly getting up and moving around more. I think the search for Poseidon may have done more harm than good, forced him to stretch muscles that weren’t quite ready yet. 

He has a slight limp, but everything seems to be healing nicely. He told us he doesn’t remember much of what happened, that everything before he woke up is a blur. But he’s changed. He’s sticking by us more, accompanying us with feeding the tames and he’s often with Faize in the craft shack.

He’s even taken to the jerboa roaming around, offering them snacks of mejos and seeds when they climb up on his shoulders. 

It’s nice to see he’s healing. I’m glad one of us is. 

I find myself spending the nights out by Poseidon’s bay, hoping the big guy finds his way home. I refuse to think of him as dead, but I know it’s a possibility. And unlike me, he wouldn’t reappear. 

It was during one of my nightly watches that I didn’t hear Wes and Faize approach. 

They sat down beside me, one on each side, and we stayed comfortably silent, watching the sea for the tale-tell blue fin of our lost friend. 

Finally, Wes spoke. 

“I think I’ll build Bird a grave marker. He was a good boy, one of the smartest Ptera I knew.”

Faize nodded. “We could go with you, to, you know, to mark the site if you want.”

I said nothing, just watched the waves roll in. 

Wes was quiet for a moment. 

“I think I’d like to make it here. On the islet. He liked the view of the bay. We could make one for...”

“Poseidon isn’t dead,” I said, voice quiet and full of seething rage. “He’s strong and fast, and he’s still alive and out there somewhere. I won’t believe he’s dead until I see a body.”

Wes sighed, put a hand on my shoulder. 

“Faize and I were talking. Maybe he is still alive, but he’s not here. Maybe he was killed though. Bodies in the water won’t last long.”

I knew he was right. But still, I had a small glimmer of faith that I wouldn’t let him dull. 

“If Poseidon isn’t home in two months, I’ll do it. But...I know he’s out there somewhere. I can feel it.”

Faize pats my arm.

“Okay, if he’s not home in a few months, we’ll make him a gravestone. Tomorrow, we’ll make one for Bird though. Maybe have a little ceremony, yeah?”

“Tomorrow, I’ll dive in again and see if he’s around,” Wes said. 

“I’ll take the raft. We can sail around the islands and up and down the coast and look again. Maybe he’s just out living his best shark life. Isn’t it close to breeding season for the megs?”

I smacked my forehead and groaned. 

“I had forgotten that. Damnit, he’s out there getting all the ladies, guys!”

The three of us laughed, and for a moment, all is well. In the morning, we’d look again for Poseidon. We would mourn Bird. 

And we’d give Wes his ‘welcome to the tribe’ present. He’s earned his redemption at this point.


	24. Log #024 - The Ancients Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vex formulates a plan. 
> 
> Poseidon is still out there living his best shark life, or so they hope.

We spent the morning looking for Poseidon, our efforts were futile. 

Faize and I sailed along the coast, then headed for the islands. Daz and Krueger followed overhead as Medusa joined us on the raft. I whistled and called his name until my lips cracked and my throat was raw, but the deep blue depths stayed silent. 

Poseidon was nowhere to be found. 

We stopped on a small island for lunch, and Faize showed me his favorite place here. Apparently it’s an island full of Jerboa. 

The little guys hopped around everywhere, ignoring us as they chased each other around. One chirped and I thought I heard Faize chirp back, but I ignored it - staring at the sea. Out of the corner of my eye, a fin appeared, but this one was grey and missing a good chunk of the right side - not whole and the deep dark blue of my boy. 

But that was okay. I took it as a sign. This meant that the megs were coming back from wherever it was that they scurried away to for breeding season. So maybe Poseidon would return soon. 

I made an excuse and headed back to the boat, needing a minute or two to clear my head. Krueger sat patiently, and without much thought, I slipped into his saddle and gave the subtle squeezing command for takeoff. Krueger cawed once and with a powerful, swift hop, we were airborne. 

I waved to Faize, who was busy sitting down, feeding Jerboa and jotting things down in his notebook, but I don’t think he noticed. He was too absorbed in his work. 

Instead I called to Daz that we were going home, and then Krueger and I headed for the coast line. It was a long distance by boat, but Krueger had us soaring over the familiar sands and green hills of the mainland in only thirty minutes. 

I let him take control and sat quietly, watching the waters as we flew. On a normal flight, we’d have seen multiple megs in the water. Today, I only saw two. 

We were minutes from flight when I saw it. Giving Krueger the command to land, we glided down to a small sandy shore. 

There was a cove, with decent water depths for a meg, but not too deep I couldn’t see the bottom. The waters were clear, and the only things I could see in them were turtles and fish. It was perfect. I hopped off of Krueger’s saddle and walked to where the waters of the cove met the ocean. 

It was deep, but the sea shelf was visible and still shallow enough that I could work without worrying. I could use this place, if Poseidon ever came back. This was where I could build the pen to keep him safe. 

I ran and hopped back on Krueger, eager to get home so I could start working.

I’ll never lose another water tame again. I’ll build the pen here and when we find Poseidon, he’ll be safe. 

Assuming we ever find him. 


	25. Log #025 - SnowCherub Lake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wes sleeps. 
> 
> Vex works. 
> 
> Or - it’s not okay to borrow your tribemate’s tames without asking, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

When I landed back at base, Wes was sleeping on the islet. He was soaked, so I guessed the water search was unsuccessful and tiring. I let him be and headed over to Tonka. 

The trike and I had a peace treaty of sorts now. He no longer ignored me, and I found myself coming to tolerate him a little more. A few handfuls of mejos and couple of chin scratches later, I had him saddled. He waited patiently by the gate as I saddled Doodle. 

When they were both ready, I opened the gate and got to work. We worked for a few hours, gathering wood and stone. Both dinosaurs were helpful - Tonka used his head to down trees and Doodle would grab them and load them onto our makeshift sling. When I felt it was full enough, I connected it to Tonka’s saddle and walked us home. Doodle headbutted me a few times, eager to hunt, and I promised her as soon as we had unloaded Tonka, we’d go out. 

She seemed satisfied and didn’t protest again. She was bored, I know. I hadn’t taken her hunting in a while, choosing instead to turn her out on her own while I tended to the others or Wes. 

Or hunt for Poseidon. 

She missed our usual hunts, and I felt bad. I’d make it up to her. A long hunt this evening would perk her up. Maybe I’d even take Medusa with us. The two of them had developed into a lethal duo, using their strengths to balance the other out. Medusa would rush with her poison, and when the target was flailing around blindly, Doodle went in for the kill. It was quick, efficient, and impressive to watch. 

As soon as we got back to base, I set to work getting Tonka settled. Promising Doodle a long hunt for the evening, I hurriedly unloaded the lumber and saddle from the Trike, checked him for injuries, and put him back in his pen. 

Wes was still asleep on the islet, unaware of my use of his tame. If he woke up and asked, I’d explain. If he didn’t? I’d leave it be. Tonka was fine. 

Gathering stone was the last thing I needed, but I could work on that another time. I saw the sails in the distance, saw Daz’s unmistakeable magenta plumes. 

Faize was coming back. He’d be here within the hour. And when he came, we’d wake Wes up, see how his adventures went. We still had a gift to give, too. 


	26. Log #026 - South Island Cave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> F is friends who do stuff together...
> 
> Vex makes an observation and has questions. 
> 
> Or - sometimes the first step in becoming friends is appreciation. Of strangers becoming friends becoming family, and what home feels like.

Faize sailed in and looked frantic, but settled when he saw Krueger and I were home. 

“You never said you were leaving!”

He fussed and looked over Krueger and me, checking for injuries, but I laughed and brushed him off. I told him I had waved bye, but he had been absorbed in his jerboa research so I had said goodbye to Daz instead. 

The giant bird gave him a pointed look, and I imagined Daz was thinking, ‘ _I told_ _you so._ ’Krueger called to Daz, and the two birds flew to their roost, preening session in full blast. The new bird ignored them, sitting quietly with eyes on Wes. 

It was time, I thought. 

I told Faize to wake Wes and meet me at the campfire. As he headed off to wake up our sleepy friend, I climbed the rocky platform the birds had claimed as their resting spot and worked on getting the bird ready. He was calm, watching my every move carefully as I adjusted his saddle and smoothed his feathers. Krueger stopped his preening of Daz to watch me, and I had to pause to reassure him I was getting the new boy ready for Wes. 

He seemed to relax a bit, but his eyes never left us as I worked. When I deemed the bird ready for presentation, I got on the saddle, took a deep breath, and gave the command. 

The bird gracefully took to the air and we flew up, over the base, circling twice before I directed him down to the center of our home, near the campfire. As we were landing, Wes and Faize approached. 

“What’s this? Did you get a new Argentavis?”

There was a hint of jealousy in the tone, but I ignored it as I dismounted. 

“Yes and no. Faize and I tamed this guy, but he’s for you.”

Faize was fidgety. “We know you lost Bird, and nothing can replace him. But we were thinking maybe you’d like to join us for scouting or hunting...”

“Or maybe you’d just like to soar the skies again. You don’t have to take him, but he’s our welcome to the tribe gift to you. You’ve helped me look for Poseidon, despite your injuries, and you’ve helped Faize with his projects, and we just wanted to say thanks. He’s yours.”

Wes said nothing. He just walked over to the Argentavis and looked him over, head to toe. He gave a soft hum and began to pet the bird’s beak. 

“I’ll name him Blitz. Thank you. He’s amazing.”

The bird now known as Blitz cawed happily, flapping his wings as Wes continued to pet him. The change in attitude was rapid. For both of them. 

Wes had changed into a more willing team player and Blitz was behaving as Daz and Krueger did. I noticed Wes’ implant glow as he gently stroked the bird’s beak. 

Did the implant have something to do with the behavior change in Blitz?

This was something I’d have to look into. 

Doodle growled in the distance, and I remembered the promise I had made to her. Her patience was golden, but even a Rex queen had her limits. 

“I’m taking Doodle out. I promised her I’d take her for a nice hunt today since it’s been a while. Why don’t you guys get on Daz and Blitz and go hunting with us?”

I expected them to refuse, but both agreed. 

As the sun continued to sink, the three of us headed out of base to hunt for the first time as a tribe. Wes was making bets that he and Blitz could find more prey than Faize and Daz, and Doodle and I ignored them because we knew we were the alphas of the hunt. 

I laughed as the guys argued and for a moment, I felt something that slightly soothed the dull ache in my chest. It felt like how home felt. 


	27. Log #027 - Wedding Peak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wes opens his mouth, inserts foot. 
> 
> Vex has an injury. 
> 
> Faize is doing mad genius things.

The hunt went well. As expected, Doodle and I performed like a dream, bringing stegos and parasaurs down with ease. Daz and Blitz helped herd them to us, and Faize and Wes provided coverage for the ones attempting to flee Doodle. 

We snagged six, and I considered it a good hunt. 

It had been a good day, despite Poseidon not appearing. 

We were working well together, Wes had his bird, Doodle was pleased, and Krueger stopped with the behaviors. 

It was a good day. 

I should have known the gods of this place were against me. 

We field butchered four of the kill and Daz and Blitz each grabbed a carcass to take home. We’d finish there. A storm was rolling in, and none of us wanted to be out after dark in the rain. 

We had just made it back to base when the storm hit, so the birds were rushed to the roost, and with the help of Doodle, we dragged the bodies to our meat station, a small tent like outing Faize had made for us to work in when the sun was too strong. It worked wonders for rain storms. 

Faize had disappeared to the craft shack with hide, and Wes and I worked quietly to strip the meat before it spoiled. 

We had been working well, the silence comfortable when he spoke. 

“I’ve thought about it. I accept.”

He what? Accepted what? I didn’t offer him anything but a bird...and he had already named him and flown him, so I had thought the matter was settled. 

“The bird? I assumed you accepted him when you named him.”

Wes gives me a look like I’ve lost my mind. 

“No, your marriage proposal. I accept it.”

It takes a lot to bother me, but that? That did it. The knife I had been using to carefully strip the meat slid up and over, cutting my arm. I hissed, ignoring the blood pouring. 

“I’m sorry, the what?!”

“You offered me a tame. In my tribe, that’s a marriage proposal. Normally I’d have offered you one, but you’re not my type, to be honest. You’re reckless and headstrong and don’t understand tribe dynamics. But you’re a strong fighter and clever hunter, so it would be a good match. So I’ll settle and accept your marriage proposal. I feel you may need to learn how to butcher meat though.”

He trailed off, eyeing my arm. 

This asshole just insulted me and thinks I proposed to him? And he settled?

I didn’t know I could combine a growl and scream in such a way that it terrified a Rex, but the noise that came out of my mouth had Doodle backing away from the hut, trembling. 

“You are an egotistical, chauvinistic pig and I would never settle for marrying you. I gave you the bird as a pity present, as a welcome to the tribe present. I felt sorry for you that your foolishness got your tame killed! I would never settle for some incompetent male like you. I’m good enough for you, but you? You’ll never be good enough for me.”

I flung my knife, watching as it landed mere inches from his groin, my blood dripping down the blade like a warning. I’d have smirked but I was seething and my arm hurt like hell. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction to insult me again though. Whistling to Krueger, I didn’t even stop to say goodbye to Faize as I mounted before the bird could even land. 

Without thinking, I gave the leg command for flight and Krueger took off. 

“I need to get away from here, Krueger. I don’t care where. Let’s go,” I whispered, cradling my burning, bleeding arm.

Krueger cawed angrily and we headed out - straight into the heavy storm. 


	28. Log #028 - White Dove Falls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes you have to be alone before you can grow. 
> 
> Or - Krueger is a good boy, and sometimes I wonder if Vex takes care of him or if he’s the one taking care of her.

Krueger and I flew hard and fast, right into the storm. 

Which was probably a very stupid idea, looking back on it. Visibility was terrible, it was cold, and I had no weapons except for a spare crossbow I kept tucked in Krueger’s saddlebag, a handful of arrows, and a spare emergency hunting knife. 

But I trusted Krueger to safely fly us. He was a lord of the skies, and his instinct was better than mine at the moment. We flew for what felt like hours before I felt him start to descend. 

He was tired. He was cold. He was wet. He deserved a break. 

We landed on a small rocky peak, and I could barely make out a small cave. Clever Krueger had managed to find us a shelter from the storm. I didn’t even have to tell him - he strutted towards the cave’s entrance and out of the cold rain. I managed to hop out of the saddle and land without injury. Grasping around til I found his saddlebag, I dug out a spare torch, a small bundle of wood, and a fire starter kit. I got to work making a small fire, and soon, we had a little light and warmth. 

The light was small, but enough that I could make out our surroundings. The cave was relatively unimpressive. Small, but dry. Spacious enough for Krueger to rest comfortably, but not big enough for an Allo or Rex to enter. Worst case scenario, a raptor pack could approach, but Krueger would be more than capable of handling that. His claws were deadly, and I had seen him crush bones with his beak with no hesitation. I grabbed my crossbow and arrows just in case though. 

Krueger watched me, and I shrugged in response. “I’d rather be safe than sorry,” I told him. A soft coo met my ears and I watched as he settled himself in for a nap. I stroked his neck, letting him rest. He deserved it. He knew flying into a storm wasn’t safe, yet he still did it. He found us somewhere safe, kept me safe. 

This bird was my only friend at the moment. 

I felt Krueger’s beak tapping my arm, and the sudden pain reminded me. I still had to dress the wound. 

I didn’t have access to Faize’s miracle medical brew, but I had water and hide. I found some fiber and set to work, cleaning the wound and fashioning a bandage. It wasn’t as pretty as the ones Faize could do, but it worked just as well. The wound didn’t appear too deep or serious. It should heal in a few days’ time. 

Krueger gave the back of my shirt a tug with his beak, and I realized just how exhausted I was. I settled myself with my back against his chest, crossbow armed and ready. He rested his head on top of mine, and somehow, I managed to fall into a restless sleep. 

I didn’t notice my Implant glowing. 


	29. Log #029 - Titan’s Rise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krueger is a clever bird. 
> 
> Vex discovers the Implant’s inventory. 
> 
> A voice calls.

The rain didn’t stop as we slept. 

It seemed like it only grew angrier, and a loud crack of thunder startled me awake. Krueger was gone, and I felt a small wave of panic. Was he okay?

I didn’t worry long before I saw my beautifully bright red boy soar by the cave entrance. Something landed with a thud, and then Krueger strutted back into the cave. 

I curiously poked my head out. On the ledge by the cave entrance was a freshly killed dodo. Krueger had gone hunting, it seemed. Looking over my friend, I found no injuries. Dried blood on his beak and claws told me he had already eaten, and he had a smug air about him as he preened himself in his corner. 

He did amazing, and I told him so, then I set to work making a breakfast of my own. Thankfully, I had enough supplies here to manage to make sparkpower. Stone and flint were readily available, and the powder lasted much longer than wood. Refreshing the fire, I roasted dodo and debated my next move. 

I couldn’t go anywhere in the rain. Well, I could, but the visibility would be horrible and I didn’t want to risk Krueger anymore than I already had. Staying here in this cave would be our best option for the moment. Krueger obviously knew how and when to hunt, and I could keep us relatively comfortable. The two of us could keep us safe. 

I ate as I made plans - I could make a small bed here, I had enough supplies. Maybe I could fashion a gate of sorts for the entrance? I’d need more supplies. First thing I needed was more arrows though. 

I threw the carcass to Krueger as a snack and stepped out on the ledge.Using a jagged rock, I managed to get thatch from a few tree roots. I could dry these by the fire and use them in my arrows. 

The flint was all over the cave, so I had no worries there. Fiber was an easy find. 

Satisfied with my efforts, and tired of the rain, I stepped back inside. Krueger was napping again, carcass completely gone. He wasted no food and no time. I ignored him for now, checked our fire. Laying the thatch out to dry, I settled down to change my bandage. 

My implant was glowing. I traced the red edges carefully, and as I did, a voice was in my head.

“Soon,” it whispered, and I paused. The voice wasn’t really a voice, more like a thought, but it wasn’t my own. The glow grew stronger. 

I should panic. But I’ve been through so much stranger things. Either the implant knew something I didn’t, or I was finally losing my damn mind. I gingerly tapped the implant again, and numbers flooded my mind:

health 93.7

stamina 100

weight 20.4

What the hell did that mean? Another tap, and I saw space. Instinct told me I could store things here, and out of curiosity, I held up a handful of thatch. 

There was a small, faint ding and I watched as the thatch disappeared in a faint blue, hexagonal glow. The implant now showed Thatch 16 in what was once empty space. I tried again with a piece of stone, and the stone appeared next to the thatch. 

Okay, I could put things into the implant. How did I take it out? I tapped on the stone and it appeared in the same glow as before, weight heavy in my hand. 

This...I could use this. This would make hunts and supply runs so much easier! I cheered, and it echoed loudly. Krueger raised his head, gave me a sleepy glare, and I apologized to him for waking him up. I’d fill him in on it later. 

The implant glowed again, and again, the same voice from before whispered my name. 

I don’t know who you are, mystery voice, but I’m not afraid. I have Krueger, I have weapons, and I have a lot of rage in a small body. I’m ready. 


	30. Log #030 - Monkeyhelm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something wicked this way comes...
> 
> Or - Vex realizes she’s not alone.

I’ve been in this cave for a week now, and Krueger and I have made it somewhat decent. I’ve a bed, a forge, a smithy. It’s slowly becoming a home. 

I think we’re not alone here though. 

Krueger and I had just come back from hunting when we heard the sound of large wings in flight, and it didn’t sound like an Argentavis or Pteradon flock. We hurriedly ducked into our little cavern base and waited, but nothing came. Peeking outside, I saw nothing strange. We were hidden by trees and vines, and the jungle below us was deathly quiet. 

Something was there though. Or had been. 

Was it Wes or Faize? Had they decided to look for me?

No, it couldn’t have been them. That sounded larger than an Argentavis, and had it been Daz, Krueger would have been relaxed. But this had him tense and ready to fly. Whatever it was, it passed over us and paid us no mind. We weren’t on its radar. 

Maybe this place isn’t as safe as I thought. 

Tomorrow, I’ll have to do some scouting.

**Author's Note:**

> title from Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows.
> 
> Ragnarok is my favorite map. I'm ridiculously annoyed that it doesn't have explorer notes and never will. The ruins make me question everything.


End file.
